Conventional personal razors are typically constructed of a blade mounted to a handle. For safety purposes, it is desirable to cover the mounted blades when not in use to reduce the potential for injury from accidental contact with blades and to protect the blades when not in use. These devices typically include fitted blade caps and devices for storing razors in fixed locations. Blade caps are difficult to secure effectively to mounted blades, and are easily misplaced or lost. Further, when disposed over blades, blade caps tend to trap water and debris on blades, making thorough drying and cleansing of blade surfaces difficult. Water and debris shorten the useful life of blades and cause blades to become dangerous to use. Devices that store razors in fixed locations can allow more effective drying and cleansing of blade surfaces, but typically are not practical or safe for carrying, transporting or storing razors.
One solution includes personal razors designed as foldable and retractable razors with propel/retraction mechanisms that allow blade mounting portions to fold and to retract such that mounted blades are housed within razor handles, allowing the blades to be stored, transported or otherwise handled safely. Such conventional retractable razor designs can include a retractable mounting assembly or fixture configured to mount a razor blade or cartridge. Mounting assemblies or fixtures provide for retraction of a mounted blade, but often do not provide sufficient stability to the mounted blade. Mounting assemblies or fixtures are typically constructed of small and/or movable supports or extensions that do not provide sufficient or reliable resistance to pressure when manually applied to the razor during use. Mounting assemblies or fixtures can wobble and/or fold/retract during use of a razor rendering the mounted blade unstable and unsafe. Without stable blade support, a retractable razor creates the potential for discomfort and personal injury during use. In addition, instability of other moving elements of retractable razor designs and substantial variance between contact points of such elements can cause further instability to a mounted blade.
An example of a retractable razor having a mounting assembly appears in U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,004 (Yen). Yen discusses a foldable razor assembly that includes a blade support mounted to a first moving portion and a second, larger moving portion. When the first moving portion reaches a resting position, the blade support is then pivoted on the second moving portion as the second, larger moving portion continues to extend. The blade, however, is not sufficiently supported using this embodiment.
Personal razors, like many personal care products, are typically packaged and sold in conventional packaging designs that display products and, in many cases, dispense products. In addition, personal care products like razors can be packaged in designs for display and sale from fixtures, such as peg hooks and dispensing units typically located in aisles, at checkout counters and at point-of-sale locations in retail stores. Such packaging designs prevent damage to products during display, storage and transport, and maintain personal care products in hygienic condition. Packaging designs can be further configured to prevent physical harm to consumers and other persons who handle or come into contact with such packaging.
Product packaging that is visually attractive and stands out from other types of packaging can draw the attention of consumers and encourage consumers to inspect products contained within the packaging. In addition to visual attractiveness, product packaging that provides consumers with an opportunity to appreciate one or more features of a product is advantageous. For example, packaging that allows consumers to interact with a product, e.g., activate or manipulate the product, while the product is disposed within the packaging provides consumers with an opportunity to appreciate the features and functions of the product. It is well known that consumers are significantly more likely to purchase a product that operates at variable states, if they are permitted to interact with the product and to activate and visually appreciate each of the product's states.
Conventional packaging designs for retractable razors and other personal care products cannot readily package a retractable razor, as required for safety and for preventing contamination, and further provide consumers with an ability to both visually inspect and physically interact with the razor. Conventional packaging for retractable razors and personal care products typically includes, for example, paper, plastic, cellophane or acetate bags, paper boxes, plastic-wrapped support or insert cards and the like, which contain products, but do not enable consumers to interact with the products.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a retractable razor configured to provide stable blade support that promotes and insures ease and comfort during use of the razor. It is also desirable that a retractable razor has a construction to permit the razor to be disposed in a packaging design that permits a consumer to interact or manipulate the razor while packaged and to thereby gain an appreciation of its features and functions. It is further desirable to provide a packaging system that can contain and display a consumer product including a retractable razor that insures the integrity of the product and allows visual inspection and physical interaction with the product while disposed therein.